I am attached to this plant. I pulled some unhealthy-looking leaves from my African violet plant and placed the stems in water, not touching the leaves, with the hope they may root.
And indeed they did! There are now roots and tiny leaves appearing in the water. When I repotted my violet, I must have planted it too deep because now the leaves are lying on the dirt. Wondering if I should cut off lower leaves to expose base of plant. I use African violet plant food every couple of weeks or when I think it looks like it needs a boost. Lighting is perfect - East window. I rotate the plant every couple of days so all sides get the sun. Still the newest center leaves point straight up.
Should I trim lower leaves? Skip to main content. You are here Gardening » Growing Guides. How to Care for African Violets. By The Editors. Pennsylvania State University. How to Plant African Violets You can use an actual African violet potting mix or an all-purpose potting soil, as long as it is well-draining.
Keep African violets planted in small pots and repot every few years to mix in fresh soil. The soil should be loose and well-drained, and high organic matter content is a plus.
Learn about organic soil amendments. Use room-temperature water, as chilled water can leave marks on the leaves. Leaves are susceptible to rot and fungal spots if kept in high humidity, so water African violets from the bottom to avoid getting excess water on the foliage.
Lighting African violets prefer bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight and keep them at least a few feet away from bright south- or west-facing windows. An east- or north-facing window gives them the best lighting without the risk of burning their sensitive foliage. Artificial lighting works well, too. Use fluorescent or LED bulbs to supplement natural lighting. Thin, dark green leaves and leggy stems tell you that the plant is getting too little light; light green or bleached leaves indicate too much light.
Fertilizing During the active growing season spring and summer , fertilize every 2 weeks with a high phosphorous plant food. Only start to fertilize when the plant appears to need an extra boost slow, thin growth; pale or yellowing leaves. Over-fertilizing is a more common problem than under-fertilizing, since most soil mixes come infused with plenty of nutrients. In any case, keep them away from drafty windows in winter.
Plants should be shifted to larger pots as they grow, but keeping African violets slightly root-bound can encourage them to bloom. One sign that your violet needs repotting is wilted leaves. The fuzzy leaves have a tendency to collect dust and dirt. Brush them off gently with a small, soft-bristled paintbrush.
Blooming issues? Check out our tips on how to make sure your African violets flower. Cyclamen mites can affect African violets. They are nearly impossible to remove completely, so disposal of the infected plant and isolation of nearby plants is recommended.
Spider mites and can also be an issue. Powdery Mildew appears as fuzzy white blotches on stems and leaves. Various forms of rot and blight are also common. African violets are typically classified by size, based on how wide they grow: Miniature : less than 8 inches across Standard : 8—16 inches across Large : more than 16 inches across.
Violets Viola —though unrelated to African violets—are one of the February birth flowers , so a potted African violet can make a bright gift for a February birthday. The violet symbolizes loyalty, devotion, and faithfulness. Find out more flower symbolism here. Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? African Violet Care: Grow African Don't Shrink from Violets. African Violets: Fusspots.
Houseplant Care Guide. Its cheery, open face will brighten any garden. Plus, it blooms through the spring, summer, and fall — unlike poppies, which only last into early summer. Find seeds in packets of various sizes at Eden Brothers. Want another biennial pansy to enjoy two years in a row? They grow four to six inches tall, with a spread of nine to 12 inches, bloom from the springtime to the fall, and are hardy to Zones You can find packets of seeds in a variety of sizes at Eden Brothers.
This silver-white bloom features deep purple patches that resemble a bride adorned with her flowers and lace. Can you see it? Blooming in the spring, summer, and fall, this biennial hybrid grows four to six inches tall with a spread of nine to 12 inches.
Hardy to Zones , seeds for this cultivar are available from Eden Brothers. Also a biennial that blooms in spring, summer, and fall, this plant grows four to six inches tall with a spread of nine to 12 inches, and is suitable for growing in Zones Find packets of seeds in a variety of sizes at Eden Brothers.
With a cheerful brown blotch in the center of each bloom, this 9- to inch-tall variety makes a happy addition to a walkway or window box. The plant is hardy to Zones , and you can find a set of four plants at Burpee.
Like pansies, seeds are best sown indoors for transplanting into the garden. They enjoy plentiful sunshine, and loose, well-draining soil. Find packets of 35 seeds from Burpee. Have you ever seen the northern lights dance in the sky? These flowers are electric purple with a striped yellow throat, and these plants only spread one to two inches. These annual cool-season violas thrive from November to May, spread eight to 10 inches, and reach four to six inches in height. Plant together with chrysanthemums in window boxes or garden walkways for a fall and early winter pick-me-up.
A sweet-scented bloom, this flower sports creamy yellow leaves with pale purple edges, and blooms from late spring to early summer. As an added bonus, these violas are irresistible to butterflies and other pollinators. Sow seeds indoors in midwinter and transplant outdoors after ten weeks for striking blooms alongside deep red tulips.
This perennial is hardy to Zones , spreads 10 to 12 inches, and grows eight to ten inches tall. Plant in the spring or fall for twelve weeks of sweet-scented flowers. First, the daffodils. Then the tulips. Back in the day, these wildflowers would spring up in seemingly random places, earning them their adorable name.
Ideal for colder climates, this plant is hardy to Zones and spreads about six inches. Find seeds at Eden Brothers or get tips on how to grow them here. This cultivar grows six to eight inches tall with a spread of six to nine inches. You can get seeds from Seed Needs via Amazon. These dainty blooms are only one and a half inches wide, but they grow up to nine inches tall with a similar spread.
You can find a set of four plants from Burpee. This variety grows low to the ground and self-sows abundantly, offering a perfect groundcover for a flowerbed. You can find a set of four plants available from Burpee. Find packets of 35 seeds or a set of four plants available from Burpee. This biennial is hardy to Zones and grows up to eight inches high, with a six- to eight-inch spread.
You can find seeds available from Outsidepride via Amazon. These species varieties make for excellent pressing flowers, and will form bewitching carpets under and around the trees in your yard. It flowers in early spring and sports thin, spiky leaves. Find seeds to add this lovely, light purple wildflower to your garden now on Amazon. If you live in a marshy or extra-rainy area, you can plant this violet yourself and enjoy its dainty presence in your yard or garden.
These flowers grow up to six inches high, and bloom from February through April in California and other western states. It features a yellow, dark-striped throat and thrives in shady forests, growing up to sixteen inches tall. One distinguishing factor? Its side petals are often lightly tufted. These violets are hardy to Zones You can get seeds from EdenWilds via Amazon. This plant is prolific in the wild across a lot of the temperate world.
It loves prairies and pastures, forests and wetlands. They use the leaves and leaf litter of the violets as cozy spots to lay their eggs. This violet grows two to eight inches tall and forms small clumps. The flowers pleasantly nod off the stems, bobbing in light breezes, and are hardy to Zones You can enjoy this little drop of sunshine in your yard, too!
Find seeds today, available on Amazon. This fun violet looks like a sun-loving, freckled face. It flowers in the spring and summer, and you can plant it alongside daffodils for a delightfully sunny and cheerful early spring look. It thrives in Zones , which is good news for those of us in colder areas, and is native to Canada and the northern United States.
With a short blooming season from mid- to late spring, this is a variety that you will get to enjoy only briefly. Thriving in slightly dry soil, this flower blooms from mid- to late spring and is found — you guessed it — in North American prairies.
Plant it in your own garden, too! You can get seeds from Sala Garden via Amazon. Plus, this one multiplies by runners, just like a strawberry. The seeds are thrown from the flower when the pod is breached from seed maturation or other forces acting upon it. The roots of this flower are shallow rhizomes, which are thick and spread horizontally.
This allows another means for the flower to reproduce, as it can form a large grouping if left unchecked from competition or herbicides. Violets can be propagated by seed or division. The seeds of wild violets are thrown from the plant when mature. This can be a difficult seed to germinate, so it is best to let mother nature do it for you.
But, if you are dead set on germinating the seeds yourself, then OK. Soak the seed for 24 hours in warm water, then winter sow the seeds in seed starting mix or potting soil. Alternatively, you can stratify them in the refrigerator using a moist paper towel inside a zip-lock bag, or use moist sand.
For root division, or just digging up random violet plants — it is best to do this in the fall. Plants generally do not survive transplanting when blooming or making seeds. It is therefore recommended to only divide or transplant established flowers when the plant is approaching or is dormant. Since this is an early Spring blooming flower, it should not be dug up in Spring, as all of the plants energy is going into producing the flower. Hence, it is common to find them along forest roads, open woods, and in lawns.
They grow best in moist to medium soil. And seem to be able to tolerate clay, but like most plants, do best in black fertile loam. Since they are able to spread via rhizomes, they have the potential to become invasive. They spread within lawns quite readily, as many of you have probably observed. But since they are native plants, they are very well adapted to the temperate regions of Eastern North America.
That means that they are generally not very susceptible to disease, and will most often thrive given the right conditions. These can make a stunning display in mass plantings, as you will essentially have a purple carpet of flowers that will last for one month to six weeks long. They are an early Spring bloomer, and could very well be used as a compliment to our other early Spring bloomers you should have in your garden.
Bees do visit the flowers, but not heavily.
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